


A Match In Every Way

by Aria_Lerendeair



Series: Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash 2020 [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Confident Alec Lightwood, Flirting, Fluff, Get Together, M/M, OH GOD THIS IS SO CUTE I JUST WANNA DIIIIIIIIIE, Smooth Alec Lightwood, Tarot Card Reading, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27782053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/pseuds/Aria_Lerendeair
Summary: It's been a week since Magnus sent the other world's Clary Fairchild through the portal and back to her dangerous realm.He was quite surprised to find that someone had, apparently, been looking for him during that time.
Relationships: Alternate Magnus Bane/Alternate Alec Lightwood (Shadowhunters: This World Inverted), Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016725
Comments: 25
Kudos: 382





	A Match In Every Way

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from high-warlock-of-brooklyn: If you're still taking prompts for ALBB, TWI Malec, Alec going to Magnus after the week of the party for a reading, and asks him out. On the date, Magnus finds out that it's actually his birthday.
> 
> THIS PROMPT IS EVERYTHING AND I LOVE IT WITH EVERYTHING IN ME AND I LOVE THIS STORY IT'S SO CUTE AND SWEET AND I LOVE PAST-ME FOR WRITING IT.

  
Magnus settled back against his couch, giving Church a grumpy look. "You’re supposed to be nice to clients, you know that.“ Church, of course, responded the way all cats did when irritated, turning his back on him to settle into the chair more decisively. He glanced down at his notebook and sighed. One more appointment for the day and he’d be able to relax for the rest of the evening. Maybe he’d go for a walk, it was lovely outside, and he could use the fresh air. 

  
His magic tingled in his fingertips and Magnus scowled, shaking them and working more feeling back into them. Even a week since the Fairchild girl had gone back to her realm, and he still felt almost bursting with magic, his full strength returning to him like a lake being filled after a long drought. Magnus closed his eyes and smiled faintly. If nothing else, it had been fun to tell Catarina and Ragnor what had happened. It had been good to hear from them, and even better to hear that they were living together. 

  
His friends deserved to be happy. They always had. And he-

  
The doorbell sounded, cutting off his thoughts. 

  
Magnus brushed his hands off on his pants, and stood up, striding for the door. Best not to think about that, regardless. He was fine alone, and he always had been. He had friends, his cats, and his work. That had been enough for centuries, and it would continue to be, no matter what the two of them said. He straightened his shoulders, and opened the door, staring in surprise at a face he recognized. 

  
"Alec Lightwood,” he managed, clearing his throat. 

  
Alec light up, grinning brightly as he held out his hand for Magnus to shake. "You remember me!“ 

  
Magnus felt a blush crawling up his cheeks as he shook Alec’s hand and gestured for him to come in. "I, ah, yes. Of _course_ I do. We met last week, at the party.” 

  
Alec grinned, striding into the loft, looking around, catching sight of Church on the chair. "Oh, isn’t he wonderful!“ He stepped closer and knelt in front of the cat, who deigned to turn around and looked at him. He grinned. "Hey there.” 

  
Magnus took a step towards Alec, swallowing, his mind spinning, wondering why Alec Lightwood was here, of all places. "I, careful, Church doesn’t like many people.“ 

  
"Church, huh?” Alec said, glancing from Magnus, back to the cat on the chair. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you,“ he said, holding out his hand. When the cat pressed his nose to his palm he grinned again. "Looks like he doesn’t mind me at all!” 

  
Magnus’ mouth was dry and he stared in shock as Church gave Alec’s palm a quick lick before returning to his lounging. A small tinkling sound alerted him to Chairman a moment too late before the cat was circling Alec and moving in closer to rub against him. 

  
“And who might you be, huh? You’re much more friendly than your brother, aren’t you?” Alec asked, holding out his hand for the tabby to sniff. 

  
“Chairman,” Magnus managed. He’d never seen his cats take to someone so quickly and so well. "His name is Chairman Meow.“ 

  
Alec couldn’t help the quick laugh that escaped him as the small cat sniffing his fingers quickly climbed up his arm to perch on his shoulder. “Well hello there, Chairman.” He turned to look at Magnus and stood slowly, making sure the cat had a good foothold. “They’re adorable.” 

  
Magnus cleared his throat and offered Alec a quick smile. “I, ah. Thank you. I appreciate that. What, what brings you by?” 

  
Alec’s grin was quick and teasing. “I’m here for my reading, of course!” He stepped in closer to the other man and raised his eyebrows. “I made an appointment and everything.” 

  
Of course, tracking down the mystery man from the party had been a nightmare and a half, since his name hadn’t been on any of the formal lists, and Alec had just about given up when he had happened upon a certain commercial. And now that he’d found Magnus Bane again, he wasn’t about to let him escape. Not without at least asking him out, anyway. 

  
Magnus cleared his throat and gestured to the chair. “Well, ah, have a seat.” 

  
“Thank you,” Alec said, sitting down across from the table, looking down at the set of cards between them. They were beautiful but not as beautiful as the man sitting down, looking too shy to meet his eyes. “So, how does this work?” 

  
Magnus picked up the cards and shuffled them, glad he could use that as an excuse to hide his fidgeting. “Well, if you’re looking to know some part of your future, it helps to focus on a very specific part of it, to give the cards direction.” 

  
Alec nodded. “All right. So if I wanted to focus on knowing about a future relationship? Or something like that?” He kept his eyes focused on Magnus. He didn’t need to give the game away just yet. 

  
Magnus swallowed and cleared his throat. “Yes, of course, that would work perfectly.” He shook his head a fraction, the faint echo of Alec’s _‘I like a challenge’_ that had been called after him haunting them. Alec had already moved on, of course he had. 

  
“Excellent!” Alec said, clapping his hands together. “What else do we need to?” 

  
The exuberance was catching and Magnus smiled. “Focus on it while I deal out the cards. And cut the deck, of course,” he added, offering the cards to Alec.

  
Alec reached out and took the cards from Magnus’ hand, making sure their fingers brushed. If he wasn’t mistaken, he was right about the shiver that ran up Magnus’ spine. Shifting them in his hand, he cut them, using one hand, and handed them back to Magnus, smirking. 

  
“Very nice,” Magnus praised, taking the cards back. He took a deep breath and ordered himself to focus. “Think of what you want the cards to portray while I lay them out.” 

  
“Got it,” Alec agreed, nodding firmly. He watched as Magnus moved slow and steady, each of the cards forming a pattern out on the table. Every one of the motions was steady and pronounced and he couldn’t help the way that his eyes lingered on the length of Magnus’ fingers, until the cards were laid out. 

  
Magnus pressed down the last card and his breath caught as he stared at it, at the board laid out in front of him. His eyes widened as they darted over the cards and he read them once, twice, before smiling sadly and closing his eyes. Of _course._

  
“What’s wrong?” Alec asked, frowning as he looked at the cards. Was his chance with Magnus really so doomed that he wouldn’t even manage a first date? On his birthday no less? “Is it that bad?” 

  
“On the contrary,” Magnus said, his voice soft as he pressed his fingertips to the cards. “I don’t think I’ve seen a board like this in a long, long time.” 

  
Alec looked up at him and the wistful, longing look on Magnus’ face made him want to wrap the other man in his arms and never let go. Chairman gave a plaintive meow and climbed onto the chair, jumping down to the ground before quickly hurrying over to Magnus. “Is that…good?” 

  
Magnus took a deep breath, looking down at the cards, before back up at Alec again. “Would you like a summary? Or do you want me to go into the meaning of each card?” 

  
Alec smiled. “A summary would be great.” Of course, if he hadn’t had a dinner reservation that he wanted to make sure Magnus had time to get ready for, he would have listened to Magnus talk about the cards for hours. 

  
“Whoever you’re thinking about,” Magnus said, his voice soft. “Is destined to be one of the greatest loves of your life, if not the greatest. The cards say you are a perfect match, in every way, even in ways you might not expect. That you would fulfill each other, and be unflinchingly loyal.” He smiled faintly and ran his fingertip down the face of a card. “In some languages, this card, placed here, facing this way, indicates a pair of souls, always destined to find each other, in every universe.” 

  
Alec’s breath caught and he stared at Magnus, his heart pounding. He stared down at the cards and then back up at the fortune teller. He covered his mouth and started to grin, unable to keep from chuckling as he settled back in the chair, staring at the cards between them. “Soulmates, huh?” 

  
“Yes,” Magnus agreed, looking down at the cards again before back up to Alec. “Whoever they are, Alec, be very, _very_ grateful they are a part of your life. You will always have support and be loved, with them.” 

  
“That’s good,” Alec said, nodding firmly. “I had a good feeling about him, after all.” He looked down at the board. “You believe everything you’re saying, don’t you?” 

  
Magnus hummed. “I’ve learned when the cards are this adamant, that yes, there is a large measure of truth to their message.” 

  
_“Excellent,”_ Alec said, standing up and dusting his hands off. He held his hand out to Magnus waiting for him to stand and shake before he grinned and raised his eyebrows. “Shall we get started?” 

  
Magnus blinked in confusion. “I’m…sorry?” 

  
“Well, if we’re going to have such a fated romance, I think the first step is going to be to take you on a date, isn’t it?” Alec asked, still smiling at Magnus. He watched as the words landed, and Magnus’ shocked eyes darted from him down to the cards, before back up to him. 

  
“I,” Magnus swallowed, and cleared his throat. _“Me?”_

  
Alec rolled his eyes. “Of course you. I spent days trying to find you after the party, and it was just by luck that I happened to see your commercial. Or, well, according to your cards, it was apparently fate.” He shrugged and wiggled his fingers at Magnus. “Come on, let’s go, I have dinner reservations for us!” 

  
Magnus took Alec’s hand again and let himself be pulled towards the door. “You were thinking about me during your reading?” 

  
“Of course!” Alec said, grinning at him. “I had to know if I had a chance after all!” He winked at Magnus and led him to the door. “I’ll have your Daddy back by midnight or sometime thereabouts,” he called to the cats, before turning to Magnus. “And if I’m perhaps very lucky, maybe my birthday present can be a kiss at the door.” 

  
“Birthday?!” Magnus sputtered, even as Alec tugged him the rest of the way out the door. 

  
“Come on, soulmate,” Alec said, grinning at him. “According to you, we have a happily ever after to get to!” 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Criticisms welcome!
> 
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> 
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> 
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